Automation Engineer

STULZ USA

Automation Engineer at STULZ USA leading Texas Plant equipment setup and digitalization initiatives. Responsibilities include installation, commissioning, and ongoing equipment support within a manufacturing environment.

Posted 7/9/2026full-timeDayton • Maryland, Tennessee, Texas • 🇺🇸 United StatesMid-LevelSeniorWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

ERP

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead the setup, installation, and commissioning of all plant equipment as part of the Plant 2 brownfield launch, coordinating with OEMs, riggers, contractors, facilities, and internal teams from site preparation and delivery through production release.
Conduct factory and site acceptance testing (FAT/SAT) and production runoff/buy-off of new equipment with OEMs prior to release to manufacturing.
Assess existing building infrastructure (power distribution, compressed air, ventilation, floor loading) against equipment requirements and define the modifications needed to support each installation.
Manage equipment installation project schedules, budgets, and contractor activities; report progress, risks, and milestones to plant leadership.
Coordinate required permits and inspections with local authorities and contractors (e.g., paint shop air permitting, fire, electrical, and crane/rigging inspections).
Develop and execute preventive and predictive maintenance programs for all assigned equipment; establish PM schedules, checklists, and documentation in the CMMS.
Troubleshoot and resolve mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and control system issues to minimize unplanned downtime; provide rapid response support to production.
Program, configure, and maintain PLCs, HMIs, robotic systems, and machine controls; manage software backups, parameters, and revision control.
Program, teach, and optimize robotic welding cells, including weld parameters, torch and consumable maintenance, and coordination of weld fixtures with engineering.
Establish and manage critical spare parts inventory, vendor relationships, and service contracts for assigned equipment.
Define equipment layouts, utility requirements (power, compressed air, ventilation, dust/fume extraction), and foundations for new installations.
Develop standard work, operating procedures, and training materials; train operators and maintenance technicians on safe and proper equipment use.
Drive continuous improvement in OEE, cycle time, scrap reduction, and changeover time using lean and root-cause methodologies (5 Why, fishbone, FMEA).
Ensure all equipment and work practices comply with OSHA, machine guarding, and lockout/tagout (LOTO) requirements; lead equipment risk assessments.
Support capital equipment justification, specification, and acquisition for future automation projects.
Track and report equipment KPIs to plant leadership.
Create / maintain complete equipment documentation, including manuals, electrical schematics, as-built drawings, and plant layout files.
Lead the implementation of a Manufacturing Execution System (MES), including requirements definition, vendor evaluation, equipment/machine connectivity, shop floor data collection, and integration with ERP and quality systems.
Drive plant digitalization and Industry 4.0 initiatives, including machine data acquisition (OPC UA/IIoT sensors), real-time production and OEE dashboards, digital work instructions, paperless quality records, and predictive maintenance analytics.
Perform other duties as assigned; the scope of this role is expected to expand as Plant operations grow.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing, Mechanical, Electrical, or Mechatronics Engineering, or equivalent combination of education and hands-on experience.
5+ years of hands-on experience in a manufacturing environment with direct responsibility for automated equipment installation and/or maintenance.
Hands-on experience with sheet metal fabrication equipment (laser cutting, punching, press brakes, robotic welding) and automated material handling systems.
Working knowledge of PLC platforms (e.g., Siemens, Allen-Bradley/Rockwell), HMIs, servo/motion systems, and industrial robotics.
Strong mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic troubleshooting skills.
Ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings, electrical schematics, and P&IDs.
Experience implementing preventive maintenance programs and working within a CMMS.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Health insurance
Professional development
Paid time off
Retirement plans

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

Manufacturing EngineeringRobotic WeldingSheet Metal FabricationCMMS ExperienceMechanical Drawing InterpretationElectrical Schematic ReadingP&ID UnderstandingLean MethodologiesRoot-Cause AnalysisOEE Improvement

Soft Skills

Project ManagementTeam CoordinationCommunication SkillsProblem-SolvingTraining and Development